After missing the Delhi Capitals’ opening match of the season, KL Rahul has hit the ground in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, playing an influential role in the franchise’s victory against giants Chennai Super Kings on Saturday. Rahul, who opened the batting in the absence of Faf du Plessis, scored a 51-ball 77 to emerge as the team’s match-winner against CSK. After the game, Rahul caught up with DC’s mentor Kevin Pietersen in a candid interview where he shared some intricate details of his revitalised love for white-ball cricket.
Pietersen, who is one of the coaches in Delhi’s backroom staff, expressed his admiration for Rahul’s intent in T20 cricket in the last two matches.
“Your intent in Vizag, you struck at 300, and I was happy with you. Today, striking at 150, still on a different wicket…you must be absolutely buzzing that you’re able to adapt your style to the modern-day game,” Pietersent said during a chat with Rahul in Chepauk.
Rahul, who is working hard to return to Team India’s T20 cricket plans, credited the national team’s assistant coach Abhihek Nayar for helping him better his game in the shortest format. Nayar also played an important role in helping the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lift the IPL 2024 title last season.
“I’ve worked really hard on my white ball game in the last year or so. Big shout out to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he’s come into the Indian team. We’ve spent hours and hours together talking about my white ball game and how I can be better. We’ve worked hours and hours together in Bombay, and I think somewhere I’ve found the fun in playing white ball cricket.
Rahul was often accused of not showing enough intent, be it at Punjab Kings or Lucknow Super Giants.
“I think somewhere along the way I lost the fun of hitting boundaries and hitting sixes. I wanted to take the game deep, deep, deep, and that somehow stuck in my head. But now I’ve realised that I need to go back,” Rahul said during the chat with Pietersen in a video shared by the IPL.
“I’m not thinking too much about the game. Not thinking about taking it deep or none of that stuff. Just see ball and try and be aggressive. Try and put the pressure on the bowler and the opposition and just enjoy hitting boundaries,” he added.
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